Method of starting electric-lighting apparatus.



. P. 0. HEWITT. METHOD OF STARTING ELECTRIC LIGHTING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 30, 1903.

Patented Nov. 25, 1913.

2 SHBETBSHEET 1.

War-7L 351 l atkozmc l P. G. HEWITT. METHOD OF STARTING ELECTRIC LIGHTING APPARATUS.

I APPLICATION FILED MABHBO, 1903. 1 ,()7 9,341 Patented Nov. 25, 1913.

2 BHEET8SHEET 2.

y l w wm UNITED sT TEs ATENT ornion. f

PETER COOPER HEWITT, NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BYMESNE ASSIGNMENTS,

TQ COOPER HEWITT ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORA- TION OF NEW JERSEY.

METHOD or STARTING ELECTRIC-LIGHTING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 25, 1913.

Original application filed March 23, 1901, Serial No. 52,488. Divided and this application filed March 30,

1903. Serial No. 150,170.

To all whom it may concern:

'Be it known that I, PETER OooPnR HEWITT,

. a citizen of the United States, and resident of New York, county of New York, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Starting Electric-Lighting Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of electric lamps in which the light-giving medium 1 larly to a means for conveniently starting and operating lamps in which the phenom-..

enaat the negative elect-rode constitute an important part of the total resistance to starting. a V

I have found that in alamp having a vapor or gas path intervening between the negative and positive electrodes, under certain conditions of purity, there is an apparent reluctance on the part of the current to enter the negative electrode. I have further found that the tendency of the current is to assume a path between the positive electrode and that portion of the negative electrode which is remote therefrom. For instance, in a tube of considerable length constituting the .inclosing chamber of the lamp, if a conducting rod constituting an extension of the negative electrode be extended through .1 considerable portion of the length of the tube,the current will enter the negative electrode at a point, generally speaking, as remote as possible from the positive electrode, instead of traversing the extended conductor; The exact explanation of this.

phenomenon is not essential to a description of my invention. From experiments which I have made, however, I believe that it is proven beyond reasonable doubt that the current tends to remain in the vapor path as long as possible before entering the nega- .tive electrode. H

For the purpose of starting the lamp, I sometimes employ some special means for (mu-coming the initial reluctance of the current to traverse the space immediately surdifference of potential, the negative resistance phenomenon to starting having thus been eliminated.

v I -avail myself of the phenomenon of the reluctance of the current to enter the negative electrode by extending the negative electrode of the lamp to a point near the positive electrode and providing means for first bringing the two electrodes into electrical; contact and then causing a break or open space to be made between the twowhereupon the current which is first established at the junction is caused by the phenomenon to pass through the vapor and immediately traverse the lamp, entering the negative electrode remote from the positive electrode. Many dliferent means may be employed for securing theinitial contact'bet-ween the electrodes and obtaining the break in the continuity thereof.

. For purposes of illustration, I may select a lamp containing mercury as the negative electrode, and I may cause a rod of some conducting material to pass from the nega tive elect-rode into and through a considerable length of vapor, that is to say, through practically the entire operating vapor path. In electrical contact with the remote end of this rod, I may bring the positive electrode (which may be of iron or other suitable mau terial) and I may arrange the parts so that one or theother of the two electrodes shall be movable, whereby it shall be made possible to bring the electrodes into cont-act or separate them at. will, or I'may use a bridging piece for the same purpose. In order to render the operation of the movable'elec trode automatic, it may be of iron or I may connect with it'a piece of magnetic material, such as iron, and I may cause this iron pieceto beact-ed upon by a magnet or solenoid outside the inclosing vessel of the lamp or by rotating the lamp may cause gravity to act. By including the two electrodes in the circuit of the magnet or solenoid, when the electrodes are in contact, I may cause the initial current passing through the contacting electrodes to separate the contacts and to bring about the'condition in which the current selects the vapor path instead of the path through the solid extension of the negative electrode. Other means of separating the electrodes may be employed.

It is desirable to have a resistance in series with the lamp when the electrodes are in contact, but this resistance may be cut out by the passing'current and,-if desired, by the same device which automatically separates the electrodes assoon as current begins to pass.

In order to protect the lamp from the effects of gases or vapors which are liable to be given 01f from the armature after the manufacture of the lamp, the armature may be inclosed in a glass or other receptacle which is gas-tight. This receptacle may be somewhat larger than the armature, or it maybe sealed tightly around it. ,iVhere magnetic material of considerable size is used for operating the electrode, a small wire may be employed to connect the armature with theelectrode directly through the wall of its container, or when at a distance from the electrode the wire may be sealed in glass throughout its length. By these means, a rupture of the glass inclosing the armature would not render the device inoperative.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows one form of device suited for the purposes of the invention; Figs. 2, 3 and 4, illustrate modifications; and Fig. 5 is a-section along the line 55 in Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawing, 1 represents the inclosing tube or chamber of a gas or vapor lamp. In. this instance the negative electrode, 5, extends from one end of the lamp -through the greater portion of the length thereof, the end remote from the positive electrode being surrounded in this instance by a small quantityof mercury, in

case the vapor path of the lamp consists essentially of mercury vapor. The mercury assists also in protecting the portions of the glass surrounding the leading-in conductor, 8, which extends through the *wall of the chamber. The mercury, moreover,'is, during the operation of the lamp, volatilized to a greater or less extent and condensed with in the chamberand particularly within the enlargement 4 surrounding the positive electrode 2. This serves to dissipate the heat by reason of its volatilization.

The negative electrode, 5, may be of soft iron, aluminum'or other suitable solid conductor which may be tubular. By the term solid in the specification and claims, I refer to material in a state distinguished from a gas or vaporenot necessarily excluding solid material in a tubular form or a liquid. The positive electrode 2 is carried by the core, 12, usually being connected therewithby a wire, 10, extending through the support 11. The core 12 is contained within an inclosing case, 18, which serves to prevent the giving oil of vapors after the lamp has been finished. The wire 10, serves to securely hold the electrode 2 even if the glass or other material employed as the inclosing case for the core were to become cracked or broken. The core 12 is inclosed in an extension, 19, of the lamp chamber and this extension is surrounded by a magnetizing coil, 16, which serves, when traversed by a suitable electric current to raise the core and thus separate the electrode 2, from the electrode 5. The upper end of the electrode 2 passes through a suitable guide, 17, so constructed as to make electrical contact therewith, and electrical connections are made therewith through the conductor, 20, connected with one terminal of the coil 16, a suitable leading-in conductor 7 passing through the wall of the inclosing case of the lamp. The remaining terminal of the coil 16*is connected by a conductor, 21, with the positive conductor 14 of the main circuit. A suitable resistance, 22, may be included in the conductor 21. A conductor, 23, connects the leading-in wire 8, and thus the negative electrode, with the negative wire 15 of the main circuit.

The operation of the lamp is as follows: When the parts are at rest and the circuit is closed with the main line by the switches 24and 25, the current will pass from the main conductor 14, through the resistance 22 and the conductor 21, including the solenoid, 16, the conductor 20, the leading-in wire 7 and the positive electrode 2. This latter being at this time in actual contact with the negative electrode 5, the current will traverse the latter and passing through the leading-in wire 8 will return to the main wire 15 by way ofthe conductor, 23. This current traversing the coil 16, will draw the core 12 within itself, thus raising the electrode2 out of contact with the electrode 5, whereupon the current will pass from one electrode to the other through the intervening gas or vapor, but instead of continuing to flow to the adjacent portion of the negative electrode, it will immediately proceed to the remote end of the negative electrode 5 through the intervening vapor with the attendant luminosity. For the purpose of cutting the resistance 22 out of circuit when the lamp has been thus started, a supple mental armature, 26, may be provided for the coil 16, which may be constructed to have a time element by weighting the armature or in any other convenient manner. This armature 26 is employed for cutting out the resistance 22 and, in this case, closing a short-circuit around it. For this purpose a conductor, 27, leads from the conductor 21 to a contact-point, 28, of a cirregarded as part of the electrode.

cuit-closing arm or bar, 29, the remaining contact-point, 30, of which is connected by a conductor, 31, with the conductor 22. The bar 29 is carried by the supporting-arm of the armature 26 which is pivoted at 32, and when the armature is actuated by the current flowing through the coil 16, the circuit between the points 28 and 30 will be closed. In the drawing, I have shown the armature 26 asbeing overba-lanced by a counterweight, 33', but itwill be understood that a spring or any other convenient means for balancing the armature may be employed.

In Fig. 2, I have illustrated a formof lamp in which the extension of the negative electrode is completely out out of circuit when the lamp is in operation. In this instance, the conductor 5 extends through the entire length of the lamp and maIy be t is shown as being surrounded near its respective ends by two rings 2 and 2 which when.

the lamp is not in operation lie against the rod 5 being pivoted'at 34 and connected by leading-in wires 8" and 8*. A small quantity of mercury may surround the base of each of the electrodes as before.

The operation of this lamp is as follows:

-When the circuit is closed therewith, current will pass through the respective rings 2* and 2", as well as the intermediate portion of the rod 5?, and, the connections being such as to cause the currents to traverse the coils 16, surrounding the cores 12, the contact rings 2 and 2 acting as armatures will be lift-ed from the wire," thus cutting the rod 5 out of circuit. The current will then traverse the as path between thetwo electrodes, either 0% the rings 2 or 2 acting as positive, and the electrode 5 or 5 actingas the corresponding negative electrode, de-

pendin on which way the current is flowing throng the lamp. It, will. of course be understood that the rings 2* and 2 are either themselves magnetic or carry magnetic armatures.

If desired one of the magnets may be made to act more slowly than,the other so that the separation will take place at the corresponding electrode subsequent to the separation at the other electrode.

The rings 2 and 2 may be made of such size that the one acting as a positive electrode will become heated to a red heat by the flow of an excess of current, and there.- upon it will cease to be held up by the corresponding magnet, and will therefore fall back to its position of contact, thus sub stantially cuttingthe lam out and preventing it from being injure returning, however, to its position of no contact when cooled. i

In Fig. 3, a modification is shown in which the extension of the negative electrode is in a liquid state. The tube 1 is here'shown in a horizontal position and the extension of the electrode 5 consists-of. a quantity of mercury extending from the; negative leading-in wire to a point near the positive terminal. Any convenient means 'may be employed for breaking cont-act at'the positive elect-rode, for instance a contact, 40, carried by or connected with the electrode 2 may bev raised from the mercury by the :fiction of'the solenoid or magnet 16, as beore. Instead of causing the separation of the electrodes by electro-magnetic means, it is possible to use other instrumentalities as. for instance, an arrangement such as shown in -Fig. 4, which resembles the structure shown in Fig. 2, but is so organized that by giving a slight rotation to the tube the positve electrode 2 will carried bygravity out of contact with the extension 5 of the negative electrode.

In some cases it is desirable to heat the vapor within the lamp, and I have found that the extension of the negative electrode may be employed for that purpose by the initial current passing therethroug'h, or ourtraverse this extension raising its temperature to the required degree and thus raising the temperature of the lamp. This heatrent from another source may be caused to ing effect may be discontinued when the In Fig. 2, I have shown in "dotted lines.

a separate source ofcurrent connected with the terminals of the rod 5, such source'being represented at 41, a suitable switch, 42, being connected in its circuit. The connections, however, may be derived from the same source asthemain current, as also indicated in dottedlines, by the conductors 43 and 44, in which case a circuit-breaker 45, may be included in the circuit leading to the lamp and adapted to act only after such an interval as will aflord the amount of heating to the lamp.

This application is a division-of applica-- tion Number 52,488, filed March 23, 1901, and contains claims covering the method involved in the use of the apparatus therein described.

I claim as my invention:

1. The method of starting an electric gas or vapor apparatus in which there is an initial negative electrode reluctance, which consists in breakingdown said reluctance locally and thereby leaving the current free to traverse the entire gas or vapor path.

2. The method of starting a gas or vapor electric apparatus having the quality of opposing an initial negative electrode reluctance to the passage of current, which consists in providing a path through the gas or vapor by locally breaking down the said reluctance.

3. The method of starting a gas or vapor electric apparatus containing a positive electrode and a negative electrode, and also containing a vapor conductor between the electrodes, which consists in establishing a path for the current between the positive and the negative electrodes by locally breaking down the reluctance at the negative electrode.

4. The method of starting a gas or vapor electric apparatus in which an inclosed gas or vapor is held between a positive and a negative electrode and in which an abnormal-resistance to starting exists at or near the surface of contact between the gas or vapor and the negative electrode, which consists in establishing normal conditions of current flow by locally breaking down the resistance at the said surface of contact.

5. The method of starting a gas or vapor electric apparatus comprising a suitable container, a conducting gas or vapor therein, and two electrodes, which consists in closing a circuit to the negative electrode and automatically opening the circuit within the container, thereby causing a flow of electricity into the vapor.

6. The method of producing a flow of current in an evacuated spacebetween 'electrodes, one at least of which during such flow of current emits a vapor, which consists in impressing upon said electrodes an electro-motivcforce of a value insuflicieut to initiate the desired flow of current, and disengaging from the vapor-emitting electrode migratory ions by an electromotive force of the same order of magnitude as that applied to. the main electrodes, therebycausing the desired flow of currentto start.

7. The method of starting a How of cur rent between electrodes in an evacuated first producing an space, which consists in are springing from one of said electrodes, and causing said are to traverse or extend along a high resistance conductor to the other elect-rode.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York, and State of New York, this 23rd day of March, A. D. 1903.

PETER COOPER HEWITT.

Witnesses:

WM. H. CAPEL, TI-Ios. H. BROWN, Jr. 

